Alliance’s FY 25 Appropriations Request: Realistic for Meeting FDA’s Needs
In the past two Friday Updates, I have prepared Alliance members and other stakeholders for the Alliance’s FY 25 ask and subsequent advocacy. Here are the columns:
For those needing more background on the President’s Request and the Alliance response, our summary is here.
When setting our annual ask, we strive to be aspirational without being unrealistic.
One reality is that federal spending is subject to considerable downward pressure across the board. The situation could get worse in a hurry if domestic discretionary programs have to bear the entirety of government-wide cuts.
Here is the math: total US government spending (mandatory programs like Social Security and Medicare plus annually appropriated discretionary spending such as defense, education, and FDA) was $6.2 trillion in FY 23. A 10% cut of that total would be $620 billion. Non-defense discretionary spending (excluding veterans programs) totals $652 billion. If cuts of that magnitude were enacted and directed solely at non-veteran discretionary spending), those programs would be wiped out.
Another reality is that FDA did not get flat funding in FY 24, it lost ground. The total agency appropriation is about the same, but from that pot of money, the FDA must fund the mandatory pay raises ($105 million) and offer up program cutbacks (about $70 million) to pay for new initiatives.
Yet another reality is that the President’s FY 25 budget request for FDA provides very little additional (non-salary) program support. The increase of about $170 million includes $115 million for pay increases and only about $55 million for every other purpose.
So, exactly where do aspirational and realistic meet for FY 25?
The Alliance board pondered that and concluded that the Alliance’s FY 25 ask needed to be a realistic statement of FDA’s needs in FY 25. That is certain to be more than the President’s FY 25 request.
The Alliance chose the President’s FY 24 request as a benchmark. It is a year old, but it projects FDA’s needs at about $200 million more than the FY 25 request.
Our thinking: what FDA needed in FY 24 is not diminished by the fact that it went unfunded.
We hope you will join us in spreading this message on Capitol Hill during our annual Hill Days, And if you aren’t a member, then join. The broader our coalition, the more interested and impressed the Hill is.
Editorial Note:
The Analysis and Commentary section is written by Steven Grossman, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA.